February 12 in LGBTQ History

1976: Gay actor, Sal Mineo, is stabbed to death in the garage of his West Hollywood apartment building at 8569 Holloway Drive. He is only 37 years old. The crime goes unsolved for a number of years until his murderer, Lionel Ray Williams, is caught and convicted.

1982:Making Love opens nationwide. Producers timed the release of the film with Valentine’s Day weekend. In response to complaints about the film’s depiction of gay love, star Harry Hamlin rather presciently comments “The more radical elements of the gay culture are going to be disappointed by all the films coming out now sponsored by the major studios. A lot of [these people] feel they’re way beyond where these films take us. But the more intelligent know there has to be a groundbreaking ceremony, which is what this is.”

2004: City officials in San Francisco, California began issuing marriage licenses to homosexual couples and performed the first known civil marriage of a homosexual couple in the U.S. by marrying the homosexual activists and lesbian couple, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Over 80 couples were given quick ceremonies.